Bob Vila Radio: Raking Tips

This fall, follow these tips to make the dreaded seasonal task of raking leaves as painless as possible.

This time of year, those of us who are lucky enough to have trees that provide summer shade have to pay for that privilege by raking up their fallen leaves. I’ve got a few tips for you that will make this autumn ritual a bit less painful.

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Listen to BOB VILA ON RAKING TIPS or read the text below:

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First of all, don’t rake anything you can mow—leaves that fall on your lawn can be removed easily as long as you’re still cutting the grass. When the grass stops growing and you need to start raking, be sure to wear gloves to save your hands from blisters.

Don’t rake leaves on a windy day, and try to rake before it rains, not after—wet leaves are a real pain to gather. Don’t rake long distances—bring your leaf bag to the leaves, not the other way around. If you have a lot of leaves, try raking them onto a tarp and then pulling the tarp along with you as you work.

And if your community has a leaf recycling program, participate in it! Your autumn leaves could be wonderfully rich compost next spring. You can even make your own mulch if you’re ambitious.

Finally, don’t forget to have some fun—jumping in a pile of leaves is one of the great joys of childhood that never seems to get old. If you don’t have kids of your own, invite some of the neighbors over.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.